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IT’S been a big six months!
When I first started this little spot on the internet, I had no idea how much I would love it.
While I put off starting this for months longer than I should have, I was really glad when I finally did.
It’s been a massive learning curve though! Here are some of the things I picked up on during the past six months.

It’s been a whirlwind ride!

Everything takes time:
From brainstorming ideas to writing posts, taking photos and putting posts together, blogging is a time-consuming process.
That doesn’t even take into account all the time you’ll spend on your blog’s Twitter, Instagram, Bloglovin and Pinterest pages to promote your blog!
This is something I really didn’t expect when I started this blog. It’s a labour of love but it takes a while to put everything together!

You have to be organised:
It just won’t work if you aren’t.
I have to fit in a full-time job, about two and a half hours per day commuting, seeing friends and sleep. It can be done but it isn’t easy.
When I started writing this post I was on a plane, watching Captain America – you just learn to fit in blog activities with your schedule.
For example, I get my lovely family and friends to take outfit photos before events and I’ll take a range of photos in advance so they’re ready to use whenever I need them.

Other people are so inspiring:
There are so many people out there creating amazing content.
Whether they’ve been blogging for a few years or a few months, there are a lot of really cool people on the Internet!
Twitter and Bloglovin are the ways I use most to find new blogs. (Check out my Twitter feed here, I’m always retweeting awesome content from wicked bloggers I find!)

Don’t expect people to interact with your blog if you don’t do it with anyone else’s:
Your blog doesn’t exist in a vacuum.
Unfortunately there are people out there that think just promoting their own content is enough – but interacting with others is an awesome part of the blogger community!
The best way to do this is read, read and read some more! And if you like what you’ve read, let the author know!
Joining a Twitter chat is also a great way to meet new people and bounce ideas off each other. Check out these great list of blog chats I found here and here– so useful!)
We’re all in this together!

Sponsored posts are a very fine line to tread:
While there are bloggers out there who can pull of doing a sponsored post (they’ve usually been doing it for a while and have a great reputation), it’s not for everyone.
I find it frustrating that so many new bloggers say yes to everything that gets sent to them.
Most of the time I have no idea if that’s what they actually think about a product or it’s what they want the company to read.
Building up a strong reputation first is important so people know they can trust you.

Some days you just don’t be feeling it:
Blog burnout is real.
There are times where you won’t want to even look at your computer screen, let alone create and promote posts. I went through a really stressful time last month (which helped me create this post about awesome ways to tackle stress)
On days like this, it’s OKAY to take a break, switch off for a day and do something you enjoy.
You’ll feel better in the long run and come back refreshed.

Have fun and do it because you love it:
There are a lot of people who give blogging a go and just don’t love it as much as others.
But for those who stick around, it’s because they absolutely love what they do.
It’s your little space on the Internet, do with it what you will!

I’m looking forward to another big six months!
I can’t thank you enough for reading this blog, whether you’ve been around from the start or whether this is your first visit.
Without you, this would be much more like shouting into the void and I love sharing my life and experiences in this way.

Do you have a blog? What have you learned? (Also, make sure to post a link to your blog so I can check it out!)

OH HOW I love tea!
I’ve never been a coffee drinker and while until recently my morning beverage of choice was a Red Bull, I’ve always enjoyed a cuppa throughout the day, especially in the cooler weather.
But as I’ve been making the switch to finally having less caffeine (like I’ve been saying I would for years), tea has become an even better friend so I wanted to share my favourite brews with you.

This English breakfast-type tea is my favourite to have with milk. It’s got hints of vanilla which gives it a really sweet taste. Predictably, it’s much better than T2’s Perth Breakfast, which is more like an earl grey. Perfect with morning or afternoon tea or after dinner if you’re not up to dessert. At the moment I’m using loose leaves with a T2 mesh ball.

This caffeine-free herbal tea has been a massive lifesaver in recent times. I found it in a health food store while I was looking for something to help me de-stress! (For other excellent ways to calm down when things get rough, check out this other post I wrote.)

The tea has passion flower, strawberry leaf, valerian and, my personal favourite, catnip. I know valerian root tablets work for me when I’m having trouble sleeping so I think that’s the ingredient that has the biggest impact for me, but not so much that it makes me drowsy at work. I’d definitely recommend this one!

Lately I’ve been turning to peppermint tea after big meals as it’s supposed to help with digestion. This light Twinings blend also leaves me with a tingly mouth and fresh breath, bonus! No milk needed for this one.

I picked up this tea when I was searching for something to help out with my skin, which was completely breaking out! I’m not sure of how much a difference this one makes but it’s worth a try if you’re searching for another way to help your skin. It has liquorice root, sage leaf, nettle leaf, chamomile flowers and lemongrass.

And with all this tea, you’re going to need some cute things to drink it out of!
This lovely Kikki K set was a birthday gift from two even lovelier friends of mine, Helen and Kerrie. (But you can get a similar set of your own hereand here!)

STRESS. It comes and goes but some times are worse than others.
When I mentioned that April had been a really crazy month for me in this post, I was describing it lightly.
There were some intense problems at work and I took on some extra freelance writing as well and it was way too much!
Why I thought I could fit in hours of extra work on top of my full-time job, commuting for almost three hours each day and keeping this blog going, I have no idea.
I was exhausted, more stressed than I’ve ever been, irritable, unable to enjoy anything and I couldn’t make any headway in my work.
Luckily, things have calmed down a lot more now. At the very least it was a great learning experience and I am now more familiar with what my limits are.
But how do you know when you’re at that point?

I’m not an expert but these are some of the things I picked up on:

Trouble sleeping

Constant worrying

Feeling tense, or having lots of pent-up energy

Feeling guilty about time spend relaxing or not working

Irritability or feeling constantly close to tears

How to fix it:

Make a list of what’s bothering you and possible solutions. This may help you figure out what problems you can tackle first and which ones will require more work to solve.

Sleep more. You’re never your best self when you’re tired so getting some shut eye might help you keep calm.

Eat healthy meals and eat enough. Look, I’m not the healthiest person but I know I get agitated when I’m hungry so making sure you eat is important. Making it something healthy is going to help because you need good fuel to run that body of yours.

Up your vitamin intake. To help counteract all the stress you’re is dealing with, vitamin B can be a great stress-reliever and echinacea, garlic, zinc and vitamin C will increase your immune system’s ability to cope with any bugs.

Vitamin B and echinacea, garlic, zinc and vitamin C.

Talk it over with someone you trust. Sharing what you’re going through with someone you can rely on can help you get your head around what’s bothering you and they may be able to help you brainstorm ideas for ways to help. At the very least, it will get it off your chest. A problem shared is a problem halved, right?

Get moving. I absolutely cannot recommend this more. When I’m feeling wound up and anxious, getting rid of that excess adrenaline makes a huge difference. It can be as simple as a brisk walk around the block. I’ve also started walking regularly and I feel so much better for it.

Try a herbal remedy. Okay, part of me doesn’t want to believe that herbs and flowers can help calm you down, but it’s worked for me. Valerian root can help you sleep (but may cause nightmares in some people, just as a heads up) and I found it in a tea that really helped calm me down. Rescue Remedy has been a staple in my purse for years and lately I’ve also been using Brauer Calm tablets (a homeopathic remedy for stress) and Tinderbox lavender balm (which is a calming, soothing scent and Tinderbox is a Western Australian-made brand, too!). Whether the placebo effect has made a difference in my case remains to be seen, but I figured that if it could help, I was going to give it as try.

Rescue Remedy spray, Brauer Calm tablets and Tinderbox Lavender Balm.

Try yoga, meditation and breathing exercises. Focussing on your breath can assist in calming the mind and stretching can get rid of any tension you’ve built up in your muscle. I wrote another post abouthow yoga apps are totally awesome!

Get colouring. It’s not just for kids any more! Heaps of adults are now spending their down-time colouring in. My lovely friend Lisha gave me Creative Therapy – an anti-stress colouring book for my birthday and it’s great! The monotonous activity is surprisingly soothing.

This is a great way to spend some time out!

Allow yourself some time every day, even if it’s just 10 minutes, to do something you enjoy. This can be as easy as reading a book, looking at cat videos or painting your nails.

Take regular breaks. I wrote another post about why it’s so important to take your lunch break. You deserve it!

Get some help from the experts. If you’re in a rough spot and really struggling, talking to your GP or another mental health professional about what you’re going through, or getting some more information from places like beyondblueor Lifeline should be your next step.

Hopefully with these tips you can help get rid of some of the tension in your life.What are your go-to ways to relieve stress? Let me know in the comments!

A FEW years ago I would have said these shoes were hideous and impractical, but somehow they’ve won me over.
I wore this outfit on my birthday on the 16th – how was that already over a week ago?
This month has been insane and has gone so quickly.
It was the first time I wasn’t able to get the day off on my birthday but I am lucky enough to have lovely colleagues who made my day great!

Just caught the last of the sunshine!

I picked up the sneaker heels in Valley Girl on one of my last trips to Melbourne and they fast became my favourite shoes to travel in.
I like the relaxed vibe they give to this outfit and I know they’ll give my boots a run for their money this winter.

The perfect outfit for a lazy day running errands or going to lunch.

And how great are the glasses?! I’ve been eyeing off reflective sunnies for ages but I just can’t pull off the completely round frames that every off-duty model seems to be sporting these days.
So when I spotted this aviator-style pair in Cotton On (during a strictly guilt-free birthday shopping trip on my birthday) I knew I needed them in my life!
These Jay Jays jeans are good, sturdy staples that have lasted for ages even though they were cheap.
When it comes to jeans I’m really not fussy – I’ve worn more expensive ones and they give just the same as cheap version.

These heels are surprisingly comfortable.

I picked up the top from a clothes swap event so I have no idea what brand it is! I love how it’s light and the shape the cuffed sleeves gives it.
On my wrist is my Fitbit – a lovely birthday gift from Michael – and it’s helping me keep track of all the running around I do. With a shirt this shiny I really didn’t feel the need for any more jewellery.
The lipstick is MAC Viva Glam Miley Cyrus – it’s such an awesome shade of pink! (Watch this space for a separate review of it soon.)
And last but not least, a simple black bag brings the whole thing together!

CHECK out these colours!
I’d been eyeing off more of the Lime Crime collection for a while.

Oh those colours!

Lime Crime Geradium and Poisonberry

Poisonberry is one of the darkest lipsticks I own but it’s got that classic Lime Crime stickability so it stays on without much retouching.
I’ve worn this with MAC’s Magenta lip liner underneath to even out the colour.

I may be a little bit in love with the holographic packaging.

Moving onto the pink!
I usually stick to cool colours because they suit my skin tone more and Geradium is just a tad warm.
That said, it’s a fun, bright colour and still worth giving a go, especially if you’ve got a skin tone that’s darker than mine.

This is a warm pink and may not suit all skin types.

I’ve done a lot of reading about the questionable practices of this business and its founder and although I can see why people don’t want to support it, I haven’t found lipsticks that live up to Lime Crime’s.
As I said in an earlier review of Centrifuschia, it just stays put all day.

AS PART of my trip to Phillip Island a few weeks ago, we took a headed out to The Nobbies.
The coastal area is at the western tip of the island and showcases some magnificent views.
It’s also an important breeding area for many species of birds and, out to sea, there is a rocky outcrop called Seal Rocks, which is a breeding and nursery area for Australia’s biggest fur seal colony, which is estimated to have more than 10,000 members!

Breathtaking!

The area was absolutely beautiful and the day ended up being quite warm despite the cool sea breeze. I really can’t get over the colours of the mosses and grasses that cover the rocks!
The walkways were really well-maintained and it was lovely to stroll around.

My lovely tour guides, Justin and Kelsey!

I really want to head back to Phillip Island one day and take this all in again.

I THINK I just fell in love with flower crowns!
I’ve always liked them but never found the right outfit to wear them with.
Today’s outfit is part boho vibe and partly filled with glitter.

I love this headband!

I mixed in blues and purples in my accessories to match the headband.

This skirt has an opaque mini-skirt under a sheer maxi skirt.

I picked this skirt up at a clothes swap event and wanted to keep the rest of my accessories fairly neutral. (Okay, for me, silver glitter counts as a neutral!)
I like how this skirt has an opaque mini skirt underneath the sheer maxi skirt – it makes it just that little bit lighter and different.
For my jewellery I followed the colours in the flower crown – blues and lavender.

The weather was great today!

Simple makeup was key to this light, daytime look.

I kept my makeup quite simple but with hints of glitter.
I used two Sleek Makeup palettes in this look: the Precious Metals Highlighting Palette and the Eye and Cheek Palette in Dancing Til Dusk.
For my eyes I used Two Faced Shadow Insurance and the two gold colours in the Sleek Eye and Cheek Palette – one matte and one with shimmer, as well as the silver colour from the Highlighting Palette for underneath my eyebrow arch.
I used the pale gold highlighters on my cheekbones, down the bridge of my nose and on my cupid’s bow.
My mascara is Maybelline The Falsies Volum’ Express Flared — it’s been my go-to mascara for years!
I used the light pink shimmery colour from this Max Factor Flip Stick, too.

This is definitely an outfit I’ll be bringing out again.
Perfect for sunny days with the family and eating lots of food!
This also really makes me want to buy 100 huge flower crowns. I wish I’d discovered them earlier!

Is glitter one of your staples, either in outfits or in beauty products?